Is There a Replacement for Latex Backing on Drapes?

Add sheers behind latex-backed drapes to hide any fixes you've made to the latex.

Thermal window treatments come in two varieties: those with latex applied directly to the fabric and those with separate acrylic linings sewn in place. When the former’s latex backing begins to crack and peel, several products make patching the damage easy. But when the latex is heavily marred, covering it with the lining used in similar thermal drapes restores your window treatments.

Ideal Patching Products

Liquid latex, sold in craft stores as a backing for rugs, can repair the latex already on your drapes, acting as a quick patching product. Silicone or latex caulk also repairs cracked or worn drapery backing similarly, creating a flexible coating. For windows that receive a lot of natural light, either caulk works best, standing up well to ultraviolet rays. Colored liquid latex, often sold in costume stores, can also work for colored latex backings on drapes after smoothing the surface of the drapes with the latex without adding bulk. But these products are more watery than craft-store liquid latex for rugs and may be difficult to work with. After patching the drapes, stick to air drying after washing; the heat from the dryer often melts these products.

Tips For Seamless Repairs

Choose a patching product in the same color as the existing latex on your drapes; white appears most commonly, but you may run into beige, gray or another shade. For nonwhite backing, clear or transparent caulk, rug-backing latex, or a colored liquid latex, allow for the most inconspicuous repair. Lay the panels flat on a large work surface and pin down the corners before application. Patching the lining when the drapes are wrinkled may cause creases to set permanently. Remove any loose particles and apply your patching product of choice onto the damaged area with a foam brush, keeping the coat thin and blending the edges with the existing coating. Add additional thin coats as necessary and allow the latex to thoroughly cure -- following the instructions on the container -- before rehanging the drapes.

Acrylic Lining

Comprised of a fabric base and one to three coats of acrylic, replacement linings cover latex that’s too damaged to adequately patch. Light- and medium-weight acrylic lining, labeled as one-pass and two-pass, absorbs light and sound while hiding damage and adding weight to drapes. Blackout lining, sold as three-pass, works best in bedrooms and spaces with televisions. Because it’s thicker than one- and two-pass lining, it adds considerable weight to the drapes; when the existing latex backing is still in place, the addition of blackout lining alters the way the window treatments hang. Preview the results by pinning three-pass lining to the back of your drapes and hanging them first, noting how they fall.

Installing New Drapery Lining

When acrylic lining is used during the initial creation of draperies, it melds seamlessly with the face fabric, giving the appearance of one piece. Securing lining over an existing panel is simple yet not quite as flawless, but once hung the difference isn’t noticeable. Measure the back of the drapes, noting the width and the height of the latex-covered areas. Cut the lining 2-inches wider and taller. The acrylic coating on the lining prevents fraying after cutting, but when working with large quantities of fabric, cutting a straight line isn’t easy, and hemming the fabric gives you a crisp edge. Hem the new lining 1-inch on all four sides and then secure it to the back of the drape with no-sew glue or by using a sewing machine. The latter will show an additional stitch on the face of the curtain, but the right color thread allows the repair to blend in.